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 Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 2:37 pm
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Meeting Mommy
Paddling along the compact dirt of the forest floor, Nyx and her little shadow made their way through the gloom. She hadn’t expected or anticipated getting involved in the life of a young boy today, but here she was, escorting him back to his house. Wherever that might be. It was surprising to her how much it had weighed in her chest denying the boy’s request at friendship; she thought she’d let him down pretty easily, all things considered. She wasn’t known for being a very tactful person.
Besides, it was for the best. She wasn’t staying here in Juahar: she had to make the return trip back to tale with her family once their affairs were in order again. Spending too much time with this kid would only increase the probability he might get attached, which would just hurt more when she left. Eurig needed friends his age, ones that could be more attentive to his sensitive needs.
Which was something Nyx wasn’t very good at.
She puffed air through her lips, rapping her knuckle on the top of Eurig’s head. “Oi, Kiddo. You mentioned you had a sister, and the others said something about a bug? Is she an alk or something?”
[1/10] |
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Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:13 pm
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Years of keeping pace with his family transformed Eurig into a speed walker. Nyx needn't have slowed her pace for him, as he was more than used to keeping up with long legged women, who despite their own efforts to slow down, seemed to outpace him every time.
The trip back to his house was made awkward by their earlier conversation, and her subsequent rejection of friendship. He spoke only the bare minimum so as not to seem rude; he gave directions to his home, answered all questions in a yes or no format, and gave little smiles when he thought he should. They were hollow, without any of the promise of earlier.
Maybe she'll change her mind if you ask again. No, no, that would just make him sound weak and she'd said already she didn't like that. So, the boy kept his mouth shut and kept walking.
Or at least he had planned on doing that, until he felt knuckles ontop of his head. He squealed and reached up, covering his scalp defensively with both of his hands. "Uh-huh. Subira and mama Ariya are alkidike." At least he didn't say it like al-key-d**k this time; for years he thought that was right, just because of how bright his mama Ujana smiled, but after finding out she was smiling in amusement at his mispronunciation he'd quickly changed it.
He led the way down a well worn path that had turned into a main road. Eurig checked both ways, just as he'd been taught, before crossing, despite the general lack of traffic. Even from this distance he could see his mama's tavern; or, rather, he could finally see it, as the sounds coming from it had been apparent for a while. It seemed to perk him up some. "We're really close now."
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Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:47 pm
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Ujana stood outside her 'grand' pub with both hands clenched into the shirt front of a shifter, hoisting his struggling body off the ground. She held him aloft several inches, before slamming him against the the exterior of his own cart. His shrieking died momentarily as the man struggled to regain the breath she'd knocked out of him. The mulish creatures he'd enlisted to pull the boxed wagon knickered in distress, but his associates calmed them, though the same could not be said of their boss.
"How stupid do you think I am, Tovaris? This isn't what I ordered, and I know damn well it isn't what Medina sent to me." She pulled him closer to her chest, only to slam him back again. Her voice was loud, and echoed in the vast space of Jauhar's jungle.
"Y-ye-yes it is, it says so ri-right on the barrels-"
"That's donkey piss in a barrel and we both know it; I can smell the stench from the here!" She snarled and got right in his face, blocking his few of anything other than the pure anger contorting her features. "What'd ya do with it, Tovaris? I paid for Oban ale, and I got this s**t. Where is it?" Even though her voice was lower now, tinged with a hint of lover-esque charm, the anger still rang strong enough to make him shake.
"W-We-we hid it." A voice to her right piped in. Tovaris cursed, trying to backpedal the boy's words, but when Ujana turned a teenager stepped forward. He looked ready to piss himself. "We were gonna turn it and make a profit, w-we didn't think you'd notice til we left-"
All at once Ujana slammed her forehead against Tovaris', knocking the man out cold. She dropped his limp body on the ground and stood back, cracking her knuckles as she went. "Ya got a day to bring it back. Every drop better be accounted for or you're all gonna get hurt." She lifted a foot and placed it on top of Tovaris, "He's stayin' with me til ya get back. NOW MOVE IT."
His lackees scrambled to get the mules saddled up and soon enough they were tearing down the road.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:09 pm
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With half a laugh masquerading as a snort, Nyx took her hand away when little Eurig’s came up to defend his skull from her sudden attack. It looked like that might have helped to knock him out of the mellow stupor he’d been toting around with him since they started plodding along. Polite silence was boring; better to fill it with mild irritation instead.
She pursed her lips, nodding thoughtfully. “That’s...something. I guess I’m kinda surprised they’re welcome here is all, what with the rebellion and everything. But I guess all those crabby witches were kicked right out’ta here, so only the chill ones are left.” She hadn’t seen too many alks herself, but they were always an impressive sight. Tall warrior women covered in markings and bones and all other manner of things, toting their weapons around like they were always ready for a fight. They were actually pretty cool, if you thought about it. Like a big sisterhood of a**-kicking women. Maybe Nyx shoulda just been born an alkidike…
Her internal musings were interrupted as she caught sight of Eurig’s home. Well, was it his home? Looked more like a tavern or something. And guarding the door was one of the beefiest women she’d ever seen, verbally and physically thrashing some guy at his cart. As they got closer, it was easier to hear what she was reeming him out about. And just like that, he was on the ground and the others were beating a hasty retreat.
Nyx whistled as they drew near, eyebrows raising appreciatively. “Holy hell, that was impressive. Who’s that tall drink of water?”
[2/10]
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Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:12 pm
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Eurig ll 2
"My mama isn't like that." Eurig puffed up, plodding along with his little back standing a bit straighter. "We live close enough to the alkidike places that she can visit, but she wants to be here with us. I just...wish more people would be nicer to them. 'Specially Subira; she's not even big enough to do anything yet, but they get so mad-"
He came to an abrupt end when he heard his mama's...well, her voice was far from welcoming, but the familiarity of it was enough to bring him some semblance of peace. Even if she was fuming and raging against a man. It wasn't the first time he'd seen Ujana give a guy a thrashing, and even if it was still a little shocking, seeing how the guy wasn't moving anymore, he was mostly just happy that his mama wasn't in that spot.
And, instead of answering Nyx, Eurig ran to cross the space between them with a happy squeal, "Mama!"
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Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:22 pm
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Ujana ll 2
Ujana gave Tovaris an added stomp to the ribs just when she heard the man start to come around. He wasn't out of it completely; the pained groan that slipped out of his lips signaled that much. With a nod of her head she signaled for the actual 'guards' to come over and deal with the after math. She was a little worried that if she were the one to drag him into the cellar that her anger would cause her to beat him again, and having a dead body was much less useful as a hostage than a living one. So, albeit reluctantly, she stepped back to let the men do their jobs.
"Mama!"
Turning her head, Ujana's eyes widened and her face transformed from thinly veiled aggravation to outright love. "Eurig, baby!" She bent just low enough to catch him when he jumped, and swooped the little one into her waiting arms. Ujana coddled her son, kissing the entire circumference of his face before securely shifting him into a holding position on her hip. "You weren't supposed to be home for hours. Did something happen?" Furrowing her brow, she looked out to the direction he came...and noticed the teenager her son brought home.
"Little early to be bringing home girls, huh, son?" |
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Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 4:13 pm
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Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 7:31 pm
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Eurig ll 3
"Mama! Quit it!" Eurig pushed against his mother's coddling, but the truth was plain to see; he loved it. He was smiling from ear to ear and even when she did stop he wrapped his little arms around her to hold the woman close. She was warm, like she'd been outside all day, and smelled of sweat, but that didn't bother him in the least.
He settled easily onto her hip, locking his little legs around her waist as best he could, completely trusting that her muscles would hold him. "Ignis was being mean...again." Eurig look equal parts put out, and embarrassed. Those big green eyes avoided looking at his mom, instead turning to look at Nyx, "but she fixed 'im up real good, mama."
It didn't make sense for her to say that 'they' did anything together, when it was all her. If it had been just him then Eurig was sure he'd be limping home with a few bruises and a crushed pride, instead of just a wounded one. Eurig started to squirm, signaling for his mother to let him down, and once he was on his feet he moved to stand a little to the side, though still close enough to both women.
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Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 7:46 pm
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Ujana ll 3
Ujana gave into a big, booming burst of laughter. "Too true! He's too nice to be a lady killer though, aren't ya, Euri?" She blew a raspberry against the side of his neck, even as he tried to dodge it. "We're keepin' you small and adorable forever!"
For the most part Ujana was comfortable holding her son with a single arm, though when he squirmed and repositioned himself she had to add another, just to give the boy some stability. She kept her eyes on the teenager, though; or at least tried to, when her boy wasn't taking her attention. Prickly little thing, "Those crystals," she tapped her forehead, "are pretty badass." She'd never seen anything like it, but part of her was jealous of them. Maybe if she had horns like that then she could cut someone when she headbutted them....
"Ignis? That little turd? Eurig, honey, I told you not to hang around him. He's bad news." That chubby little s.o.b had messed with her kid one too many times, but if she didn't want to be run out of the neighborhood she couldn't threaten his dad anymore than she already had. Her son needed to learn how to choose better friends; and evidently, he was starting too, albeit a little older friends than she'd expected.
"Nyx, right? Thanks for helping my boy. It's a little...rough on him here, so we'll take any help we can get." She motioned for Nyx to come closer as she took a step back towards the tavern, "The name's Ujana and I own this place. Anything you want is on the house. Food, water, something stronger..." She shrugged. She'd had her fill of ale at the girl's age, so why hold her back? |
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 9:19 am
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Even Nyx’s frosty exterior wasn’t strong enough to stay solid forever, grinning in spite of herself at the loving exchange between the mother and son. She wasn’t immune after all, just stubbornly resilient against displays of ‘softness’. But even she had to admit that the two were cute together.
She shrugged, tipping her head to catch the light on her crystals. "I think they're rather cool myself, thanks."But at the offer, she waved her hand dismissively, squishing her face up. “Thanks, but it wasn’t a big deal or anything! I would have done it regardless of who was on the receiving end; sometimes you have to take hot-heads like that down a peg or two, for their own good. Teach em’ that they’re not as great as they’d like to think. So I really don’t-”
Her stomach growled at the thought of food, cutting her line of thought off abruptly. And here she was trying to be cool and everything; hard to deny compensation when your faculties give ya away, good lord.
Pursing her lips as her hand moved to scratch the back of her head, Nyx glanced down at the ground while her cheeks flushed. “Maybe…I will take you up on that.”
[4/10]
Painted Moose I am so sorry, here you go. I'm trying to get back into the flow of working with my other characters again, it's a struggle redface
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 10:04 am
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Eurig ll 4
She's not gonna stay. Eurig had hoped that with his mother's offer that Nyx might want to hang around a little more, but he was also trying not to get his hopes up again. She'd been nice enough, but the leafling teen had already said she wasn't interested in being friends, and there really wasn't much reason for her to stick around anymore. He turned to look at her all the same, large green eyes shimmering with hope. It was a tactic he'd employed on his mother's before, and as much as he didn't want to abuse it...
...if he needed to look extra cute just to keep her for a little while, then he would.
That is, until he heard a growl, eyes widening further, though this time out of surprise. And then, in an instant, he was grinning from ear to ear. She was hungry! That meant she'd have to stay, because who wanted to walk all that way without having anything to eat? Eurig ran forward and grabbed her hand, giving an enthusiastic tug, "C'mon Nyx, we've got all kinds of good stuff."
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 10:15 am
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Ujana ll 4
Ujana wasn't a particularly crafty woman, but it didn't take much to see through her son's rouse. It was kind of sad seeing how attached he'd become, so quickly; she really needed to see about getting him some decent friends. But this was a fair enough start. This one seemed like she could hold her own, and while she was closer to Subira's age then Eurig's Ujana didn't really give a s**t. So long as her son was happy and looked after.
"A girl after my own heart." Good head on her shoulders, this one; got her sights on the prize. Ujana liked that. Maybe she would rub off on her son a little and give the boy a backbone. She loved her little man, but sometimes....sometimes she worried for him.
While Eurig got overly excited, Ujana just laughed. A great, booming guffaw. "No sense talking your way out of it now; that stomach of yours knows what it wants, so let's feed it before it eats us all." She made a half turn and started towards the tavern. Ujana pushed open the door and held it, making a vague motion to the interior. "Sit wherever you want; normal business hasn't picked up yet, so there's plenty of spots." Normally she didn't allow Eurig into the tavern, but since it was earlier in the day she didn't see what it could hurt. Besides, she was feeling a little peckish herself and doubted the boy had stopped his playing to grab lunch.
The interior of the tavern was a mix of Oban design, Talean colors and Jauhar structure. In so many ways it was a hodgepodge; blending all of Ujana's experiences and years into one solid building, but for her, it worked.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:40 am
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Flushing again, Nyx mumbled a ‘thank you’ as she passed Ujana, padding through the doorway into the tavern. Well, best get past that embarrassment and work on reforming her ramshackled pride. Being led into the building by her enthusiastic little guide, curiosity quickly took the place of her self-consciousness, eyeballing the quirky interior. She’d never seen these kinds of designs before. The colors were familiar, but not the geometric patterns. It looked like it came from another far away place, one she’d be keen on checking out herself.
“Hey Little Man,” she mused, tugging Eurig’s hand to get his attention. “You know the lay of the land here: why don’t you pick the best spot in the house for us?” She squatted down, tallying off requirements with her fingers. “I’m talking optimal comfiness factor. And it’s gotta have access to a nice breeze: this stinking jungle is humid as hell. Annnd, how about close to the kitchen, so your mom doesn't have to bother walking around too much?” Wiggling her fingers, she quirked an eyebrow at the boy. “Can you do that?”
[5/10]
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:54 pm
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Eurig ll 5
"Oh, oh! I know just the spot!" Eurig hurriedly swiped his bangs out of his eyes and led Nyx to a nice table near a big, pretty window. It was one of the few wide windows in the entire establishment; most were built high, and small, making the lightning a little darker to set the 'tavern' feel. Of course all of that was lost on the child. He just knew that when you looked outside you could see all of the pretty fungus of Jauhar, and sometimes, a few radaku.
He liked it well enough, but did it fit her requirements? "There's a river close, so there's good air here. Annnnddd-" Eurig craned his head to see the kitchens. It wasn't the closest, but it wasn't the furthest away, either. He gnawed on his lower lip, fussing over the details. This was his favorite spot, but it didn't fit Nyx's wants, so he moved her a few spots down.
"You can still feel the air here, and it's closer to the kitchens. The chairs are pretty comfy too, but if you want a cushion I can get one for you." She wasn't like his mama's or his sister; there just wasn't much butt there and he worried that the seat might be hard on her butt bone.
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 4:06 pm
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'
Ujana ll 5
Ujana quirked her lip into a smirk as she passed. She turned just enough to watch the two from her peripheral, slowly edging her way past the bar into the kitchens. Of course she didn't go straight for the food; what sort of person would she be if she did that? She hid behind the open doorway, peeping out just enough to watch her son interact with Nyx, and, naturally, when her employees stopped to watch her she motioned them forward.
"What's going on Uja-? Oh! Oh, he's got a friend?"
"A real one this time?"
"I'm glad it's not that fat kid, I swear, he eats more than my cousin's mammu-"
There were at least four members of her staff crowding around the doorway with her, all of whom had neglected their work just to watch. "What are they talking about? I can't hear," she groused.
"Maybe because it's suppose to be private-?"
"Stuff it, Tryja."
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